Moon Child
by The White Rose
Summary: What happenes when Wolf and Virginia go missing and evil is on the brink of returning? Only a wolf and her companion will know...
1. Chapter 1

A young woman ran through a beautiful forest, the ground covered in brilliant green firs and shrubs. The trees were thin and their branches high up, facilitating her flight. She looked behind her, fear and an undetectable emotion running across her face simultaneously. She jumped over a fallen log, landing gracefully and running off into the deeper part of the forest. She crouched down in the thick foliage, heart pumping as her pursuer's footsteps gave way to the sounds of the forest. She stayed hidden under the tree branches, checking that she had escaped her hunter. She backed into the trees, disappearing into the deep shadows. A growl pierced the silence, wounding it like a fierce animal pouncing on prey.

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Keira woke up with a start, her heart thudding loudly under her nightshirt. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, sitting up and looking around. She swung her legs out of bed, her toes flexing as they touched the cold stone floor. She crossed her room to a curtain. Pulling it back, she blinked at the bright light coming from the large window. She looked out at the beautiful day, smiling to see that the leaves were finally giving way from green to their bright fall colors. She opened the window, took a deep breath of the fresh forest air, and backed into the shadows, opening the smaller windows. She made her bed haphazardly, knowing someone would take care of it whether she made it or not. She pulled on a shirt and trousers, not willing to wear dresses all the time like the local villagers' daughters. Dresses didn't allow for running, exploring, or wandering through the forest. But then again, Keira was sure she was the only female who partook in these strange pastimes.

Keira loosely plaited her long dark hair before she left her room for the day. She always had mixed feelings about her hair, loving the almost black color and thick texture, but when she had to dress up on special occasions, she could never really tame it. That was always her mother's job. She padded down to the kitchen in bare feet, the floor cool on the balls of her feet. She took some bread and cheese from the pantry, knowing that she would not have to worry about water. Keira grabbed her bag off the wall, stuffing her spoils into it. She reluctantly pulled shoes onto her feet, making sure they were her lightest ones. She knew she would leave them behind her at some point, but it reassured the servants to see that her feet would be "protected" during her venture into the forest.

Keira walked out into the sunshine, the birds singing their usual song. She rolled her eyes, thinking about how annoying the black birds were sounding amongst the more beautiful melodies. She glanced back at her home, a large house with a certain hunting lodge look to it. She retreated into the cool shade of the trees, walked through the firs and low shrubs, smelling the forest's secrets and hearing its tales. She saw a young buck far off, its rack scrapping against the tree branches as it walked beneath them. Keira treaded into the denser part of the forest, stopping by the creek to put down her bag and take off her shoes. She splashed through the creek, taking off into the trees once she got to the other side. She ducked and dodged low branches and bounded over fallen trees. Her speed created a personal wind, her hair coming lose and whipping around behind her. Her breath was smooth and even, her heart healthy from her daily runs. She ran for hours and hours, not stopping until she was many miles away from her house. She was closing in on the nearby village and decided that she would skirt the small town, not wanting to attract attention. She slowed down near the pastures, gazing at the white fluffy sheep that milling around like rain-plum clouds.

Keira sped up to the top of a hill, pausing to watch the setting sun. She loved the light swirling together to create a symphony of color. As the sun melted below the horizon, Keira set off toward her home. She knew her way back and wasn't afraid of the dark, knowing what was lurking in the shadows was usually no more than a rabbit or fox. The other, more rare visitors to her forest were easily dealt with, too. She leapt through the woods, the moonlight glowing on her fair skin.

Keira halted at the creek, collecting her muddy shoes and the stale food she hadn't bothered to eat. She raced home, dropping off her shoes and bag at the door. She grabbed a warm meat pastry in the kitchen, munching on it as she silently padded up to her room. She undressed, slipped on her over-sized nightshirt, and crawled into bed. Blowing out her candle, she said a quick prayer for her parents, somewhere between her home and Wendell's castle.

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When Keira woke the next morning, she stretched her arms and covered her head with her blanket. It was bright in her room, someone having opened her curtains before she had woken. She huffed into her sheets, not very pleased that an impatient servant would be as rude as wake her this way. She turned over, meaning to swing out of bed, when she came face to face with a man around her age. Keira tried not to choke in shock that this man had been allowed in her private chambers.

"Glad to see you're awake. I thought you might never get up." he said, grinning.

"Can… can I help you?" Keira asked, trying to sound as calm as she could while he stared at her, as if through her nightshirt.

The man turned around and looked out the window. "Yes, actually. I was sent here to talk to you."

"Well, you'll have to wait a little more. I need to change into some clothes, if you don't mind."

"Yes, my lady." the man replied, not making any attempt to move. His gaze made Keira a little uncomfortable, like he knew something about her.

"Well, would you mind waiting while I change then?" she asked a little rudely.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was… I was… I'll wait for you outside." he said, standing up and walking out the door, not looking back.

Keira sighed and got out off bed. She put on something a little nicer than her usual rags, going for a blouse and skirt. She made a move to slip on shoes, but decided that she had no need to impress this man. He seemed to be no more than a messenger. She pulled her hair back and walked out the door, expecting to see the man. Instead, she found an empty hall. She wandered down to the entrance hall, walking out the door and almost into a broad back. The man turned around, grinning at her.

"My lady." he said, bowing and making a motion to kiss her hand. Keira yanked it away.

"What is it that you want?" she asked, placing a fist on her hip.

"Well, I want a lot of different things. But none of them is the reason I'm here." he paused a moment, looking her in the eyes.

"Well, are you going to tell me why you **_are_** here?" Keira asked. She was impatient to send this man on his way.

"Official business on the behalf of King Wendell, my lady." he said, standing up straighter.

"King Wendell? Are you a messenger then?" Keira asked, knowing it had to do with her parents' journey to the palace.

"Charlie Wolfson, at your service, my lady." he replied.

"Well, what is the message then?" Keira asked, fearing what the answer might be.

"My lady, the king begs your presence at his court. Your parents have gone missing during their journey to his court at the palace."

Keira stumbled back, catching herself on the side of the house. She felt like she had just been squeezed by a giant and thrown back to earth, falling like a dead leaf. She caught her breath, telling herself that she had always known they would be taken sooner or later. She slid down the wall and covered her face with her hands, pressing her palms into her eyes. After awhile she pushed her hair from her face, not wanting to look unladylike in front of one of the king's messengers, no matter how scruffy he was.

Charlie cleared his throat, bringing Keira back to reality. "King Wendell wishes you to help aid in their return, as you know them best and have other…" he paused here, looking into her eyes with a hidden meaning, "Abilities."

Keira paced back and forth, thinking it over. Her mind had quickly cleared, a trait she seemd to have gotten from her mother. Her parents had left the house about over two weeks ago. She wondered why it had taken so long for her to here about their disappearance, but then again the journey would have taken a almost a week and the messenger would have taken a little bit long to arrive, also.

"You are free to leave. Thank you." Keira said, turning around to go back into her house.

"I am to escort you and make sure no harm comes to you. The king would be greatly grieved to lose you." Charlie said, causing Keira to turn around and, not able to help herself, she smiled a bit.

"Well, we will have to journey on foot as my parents took the horses and you don't seem to have brought one yourself." Keira explained, already planning the journey out in her mind.

"That's fine, I travel faster on foot. Also, we can avoid the roads more easily that way." Charlie said.

"Yes, yes." Keira said, distracted. "You may go to the kitchens for a meal. I will get ready to go and meet you there." Keira said, disappearing into the house before he could say anything more.

Keira paced in her room, too distracted to notice that the day was already beautiful even though it had barely started. She changed into trousers and a shirt, plaiting her hair and snatching a traveling bag from the wall. She pulled on her lightest shoes, lacing them up good and tight. She walked down the staircase and into the kitchen where she found Charlie. He was eating a bacon sandwich, practically inhaling it with hunger. A large pitcher of water occupied his right hand, from which he frequently took long swigs. Keira just stared at him as he finished off the sandwich and picked up another. She had only seen one other person eat like this, and he was being taken away to somewhere she didn't yet know.

She cleared her throat. "Umm, we should be on our way." She wrapped some up sandwiches and placed them in her bag along with a few apples. She filled a water skin and held it out to Charlie.

"What's this?" he asked, his mouth still full of partially chewed bacon and bread.

"Water." She said plainly. She walked out the door, not really caring if he followed her or not.

Charlie ran up beside her, carrying the water skin awkwardly. "Why do we need this? There are plenty of streams on the way."

"Well, most people don't care for drinking from streams. I thought you might be one of those people." Keira replied.

"Oh, I don't care. I usually want to travel as light as possible." he said, flashing a somewhat goofy grin.

Keira just stared. She had never met another person who didn't mind stream water, besides her dad of course. She smiled back and, taking the water skin, threw it on the steps leading up to the front door. She took off into the trees, heading in the general direction the road went. Reassured by the sound of his footsteps that Charlie was following her, she sped up a bit. She always hated walking, but she would put up with it in the sake of not losing him. He matched her strides and, smiling, took off running. Keira grinned, always ready for a good race. Speeding up to her usual running speed, she quickly overcame him, giving a burst of speed to pass him up. She zigzagged through the trees, her breathing smooth and even. She jumped over obstacles and bounded over small streams. As she slowed down, Charlie came even with her. She liked having someone to run with, usually her father, and beamed. She increased her speed again, laughing into the wind. As Charlie huffed to keep up, she quickly grabbed a branch above her and swung up on it, perched like a bird. She chuckled as he looked around for her, scratching his head. She climbed higher into the tree, looking out over the forest from the top.

"Are you a lass, or a little squirrel!" Charlie called out to her.

As Keira climbed back down, she replied, "Neither," her face full of mischief. "We should keep going, we don't want to fall behind." she continued.

"Right. I was wondering, since we'll be traveling together for a long time, do I have to act like the king's messenger the whole time? Or do I have permission to speak and act freely." Charlie asked.

Keira looked at him. "Do you really take it that seriously when you're away from the castle?"

"Well, you being a lady of the king's court, yes." he replied plainly.

"Well, you can do whatever you like, within consideration." Keira set off into the trees again, pulling out a bacon sandwich and taking a bite.

They walked on until it was past nightfall. They entered a little town and rented a pair of rooms, bidding each other good night. Keira shook her head, pulling the sheets over herself that night. She really didn't know what to make of her companion. She blew out the light, snuggling down into her bed, grateful at least to have someone to travel with. It was a long journey to King Wendell's castle, even if you were the daughter of a wolf.


	2. Chapter 2

Keira opened her eyes and found herself staring into a beautiful pair of deep brown eyes. She jumped, frowning at Charlie.

"You really need to stop doing that." She said, irritated.

"I can't, you're so beautiful." He said, moving his eyes around her face.

Keira gawked at him. **_How can he be so bold!_** she thought. **_You told him he could do what he wished _**another part of her mind argued.

"Your father was a wolf, wasn't he?" he asked her.

"Yes, why?" Keira asked, a little mad with herself now.

"You look like one." he commented.

"Well, thank you I guess. Most people say I look more like my father than my mother." Keira replied, caught somewhat off guard.

"Yes, very much like a wolf. Except for your body, you have a thin waist and perfect hips. Very unwolf-like. But your legs are very long, good for running. Female wolves are usually lank and stringy, not so luscious. You have the best of both worlds. No female wolf would have such beautiful breasts." he mumbled, more to himself than talking to Keira.

Keira just stared at him. Hugging her covers to her chest, she sat up. Still shocked, she asked him to leave so she could change. She pulled her shirt and trousers on, all the while thinking about what he had said. **_I'm such a stupid idiot. I should never have allowed him to talk like that! _**She grabbed her bag and pulled on her shoes. She walked outside of the inn and met him.

"Hungry?" he asked her, as if nothing had happened.

"Very." she replied, following him to a pub down the street.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. You're just so… mouthwatering." he said, pulling a chair out for her to sit in.

"It's ok. I've had suitors before. Thought, they were less kind than you. Most of them just wanted to marry me because of who my parents are." she said, smiling a sad little smile.

"That's not right. You deserve someone who loves you." Charlie said indignantly.

"That's what my parents say to each of them." Keira replied sadly.

"You really miss them, don't you." he observed.

"Yeah. I've always lived with them, not being married or engaged or anything like that. Plus, my father and I would always go run together, especially when the moon is unusually big."

"Well, you're lucky you have someone to share it with. I'm sure his parent probably left him." Charlie said, his mood changing to something Keira couldn't quiet place.

"Actually, they were killed. Nobody likes a wolf." she said.

"Well, thanks to your dad, wolves are treated a bit better. Ever since the proclamation was announced, there have been hardly any wolf burnings."

"They still burn them! That's illegal!"

"Not if they commit a crime." Charlie said sadly. He perked up when their food arrived.

Keira looked his plate. It was covered in meat: bacon strips, sausage links, slices of ham. He had a few eggs off to the side, which he didn't even touch. They finished their meal and left, heading toward the road. As they walked back into the woods, Keira stopped and put hands on her hips. Charlie turned around, his face full of confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just waiting until we got out of town to ask you something."

"Well, what is it?" he asked, a little concerned.

"Where you going to tell me that you're a wolf? Or were you just going to wait for me to figure it out."

"Well, I, umm…… okay, I'm a wolf. Is that better?" he asked.

"Yes. I wanted to make sure I wasn't just imagining that you acted like my father."

"Well, I'm sure you would have figured it out."

"Yeah, your looks were a give-away, too."

"My looks? What does that mean."

"Well, you have dark thick hair, long running legs, brown eyes," she listed off, keeping the fact he was somewhat hansom to herself.

"Well, I guess so. You look like a wolf, beside your eyes." he pointed out. "Where did you get your eyes from?" he walked over, stepping close to her and looking down into her eyes from his height.

"I don't know," she said. "Oh, and another thing. Your height. Most wolves are tall like you." She said, snapping out of whatever had held her in that brief moment.

"Well, maybe you're short."

"Maybe I'm normal, having a tall father and short mother."

"Maybe we shouldn't argue about this but worry about getting to the castle."

"Maybe," she said, trailing off. "Maybe you're right." And with that she walked around him and took off down the road.

They walked on in silence, Charlie behind her, watching her hips. She could practically feel his eyes boring into her back, but chose to ignore him. Her mother had told her how Wolf had acted when he was around Virginia, and Charlie was acting alarmingly similar. Keira hoped that it didn't mean the same thing for wolves now as it had 24 years ago, yet somewhere in her subconscious she was screaming in excitement. The possibility for romance excited her, having grown up in the land of princes and strange courting rituals.

Keira stopped walking and turned around, causing Charlie to practically run into her, though stopping right in front of her.

"Is Charlie really your name?"

"What?" he asked, caught off guard.

"Is Charlie your real name, or a fake one to cover up that you're a wolf."

"Why would I cover up that I was a wolf?"

"Just a hunch. I personally wouldn't want to get burned for getting a little mad with a pub owner."

"Well, that wouldn't happen, knowing who your parents are."

Keira threw her hands up in the air and stalked off. "Why do people always act like this just because of what my parents did 24 years ago?" she yelled over her shoulder.

Keira started running, trying to clear her mind. She kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag, pulling her hair out of its braid. She ran and ran, not really caring if Charlie was following her or not. She didn't care about anything at the moment, just the wind in her hair and the dirt under her feet. She splashed through creeks and streams, dodging low branches and thick bushes. All-of-a-sudden, Charlie was standing in front of her. She didn't have time to stop or swerve before he caught her in his arms. They fell to the ground, Keira struggling to get free. Charlie had a strong grip and didn't seem like he would loosen his hold. Keira stopped wiggling around. She tried to sink her teeth into him, but he had expected this and maneuvered her so she couldn't reach any veins.

"I'm sorry I was rude." he apologized.

"Yeah, me too."

"Hey, we're gonna be traveling together for a long time, so I think we should at least be friendly with each other."

"You sure you don't want something else!" Keira said, not able to help herself.

"I always want something else, that doesn't mean I'm gonna go get it."

"But you're a wolf!'

"So are you." he whispered in her ear, making her spine shiver.

"So what now, are you going to let me go?"

"Not yet. You're so warm, and it's almost winter." he said, smirking.

"And I suppose you want me to play hide and seek with you after you do let me go."

"Once again, I'd like that, but I can't force you to do anything. I don't want to force you to do anything. I want you to be my friend."

"Well, you could start by letting me go." she said. He released her and she stood up, brushing the dirt off her clothes.

"So, what next?" she asked.

"Well, we should probably go back a few miles that way to get your shoes, then start heading East toward the castle." he replied.

"Sounds fine. Lead the way."

"Can't you smell your way back?" Charlie asked.

"Remember, I'm only half wolf. I didn't get much in the way of smell. I can't usually do much tracking."

"Pity."

"Will you just get moving? It'll be dark soon and we should find a place to make camp."

Charlie led the way, keeping the pace brisk. They finally came back to the place where Keira had left her belongings. She checked to make sure everything in her bag was okay and pulled on her shoes. They headed east until it was night. They walked on, looking for a place to sleep for the night. The moon bathed both of them in warm white light. They found a clearing and Charlie went off to find some wood to build a fire. Keira arranged some leaves and lay down, making the wolf in her happy to be sleeping under the stars.

When Charlie came back, she had already drifted off to sleep. He crouched down next to her, covering her with a blanket. He brushed the hair from her face and smiled, caressing her soft pale skin. He built a fire, keeping watch over her sleeping figure.


	3. Update

My fellow writers, readers, and 10th Kingdom fans:

Unfortunately, I've been slacking on my writing and don't have much in the ways of a plot left for a good story ; Sorry, but the plot I was going to do seemed a little. . . I don't know, not like the type of story I was going for. I never had a very an idea that would allow for the long story that I wanted. Also, it was kinda going in a really romantic gushy mushy fluff story that, in my head was nice, but I don't think anyone really wants to read that. But anyway, it's also a lot harder to write because my mom is being an internet Nazi -- Only 2 hours a day, and since I usually type out my stories, well, it doesn't leave very much time when I do get the motivation. Maybe over a little while I will work on some more chapters, but it will probably turn out to be a short story and not the epic that I was planning for. So, thanks for reading it so far and the lovely reviews some of you have sent me. This may be the end of The White Rose's fan fiction writing career, but who knows? Maybe I'll return.

The White Rose


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